Collapsible container



Mam]! 1941- w. P. FRANKENSTEIN 34 0 COLLAPS I BLE CONTAINER Filed April 4, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR. MLLMIWREMk/QY'IS lei/m Patented 11 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,234,402 comrs'mm con'ramnn William P. Frankenstein, Cincinnati, Ohio Application April 4, 1938, Serial No. 199,715

- 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a collapsible carton particularly adapted for efiective advertising and display.

An object of the invention is to provide a carton of this kind formed of a single blank and providing a containing portion defined by walls' having associated therewith spaces for printed matter shown on the upper or face portion of the carton, the blank being further formed to limit the containing portion in such way that the contents of the carton may be seen in full rather than partially disposed beneath the advertising or printed area or other parts of the box.

Another object is to provide a carton of the kind described adapted to have a transparent wrapping sheet associated therewith and covering the open top portion of the carton, the latter having means in its bottom area for giving access to the containing portion without rupture of the wrapping sheet.

Another object is to provide a novel method for applying. a wrapping sheet to a collapsible carton in such manner that the wrapping sheet is not torn or ruptured upon erection of the carton from a collapsed to an operative position.

Another object is to provide a carton formed from a blank cut and formed to produce novel wall structure.

Anotherobject is to provide a carton formed of a single blank and of such formation as to reduced wastage of the carton material to an efllcient minimum.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the blank forming the carton of the present invention, with wrapping material applied to' the reverse side of the blank.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the blank seen in Fig. 1 with the foldable members thereof partially erected toward operative position.

Fig. 3 is a similar perspective view of the carton in a more fully erected but yet incompleted stage of its formation.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the fully erected carton, in a reversed position.

Fig.5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the carton in its normal upturned position.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line.|-'l of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of a modified form of the carton of this invention with part broken away.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a-collapsed carton shown in shipping condition after application of the wrapping sheet thereto.

With reference to the drawings:

The carton of this invention is formed from a single elongated blank of suitable material, such as cardboard, the central portion of which is out along a pair of parallel lines I and I l and along 10 a second pair 01' lines I2 and I3, the latter cuts being made at right angles with and equi-distant from the mid-points of lines l0 and H.

The central portion of the blank is scored along a pair of transverse oppositely disposed lines I and I5 which will define the ends of the erected carton. A pair of score lines l6 and I1 connects the ends of the cut lines In and II, and the ends of the score lines "-16 and l5l1 are connected by the short score lines l8, I9, 20 and 20 2| It will be seen that the structure just described results in the formation, in eflect, of a pair of flaps 22 and 23 projecting inwardly of the open portion of the blank and hinging along the lines l6 and I1.

A second pair of flaps 24 and 26 projects laterally of the central portion of the blank being hingedly connected thereto along the short score lines l8l9 and 20-2l. These flaps are longitudinally scored as at 26 and 21 and are formed with ears 28-29 and 303l, joined to the flaps along short score lines 32-33 and 3435, these short score lines constituting continuations of the score lines II and I 5.

A third pair of flaps 36 and 31 projects from the ends of the central portion of the blank,

- being hingedly connected thereto along the score lines I4 and I5 and being provided with the score lines 38 and 39.

It will be seen that the flaps 22 and 23 are each provided with endwise notches 40 joined on each flap by the score lines ll. The flaps 24 and are likewise provided with notches 42 adapted to cooperate with the notches 40 in a manner to be described.

The erection of the blank thus cut and scored into a carton is accomplished as follows, as seen particularly in Figs. 2 and 3: the central flaps 22 and 23 are first turned to a vertical position and afterwards the flaps 24 and 25 are similarly turned upon the score lines l8-l9 and 20-2l and, at the same time, these flaps are bent outwardly along the score lines 26-21 so that the notches 42 may be entered intothe notches 40 of the central flaps. Thereafter, the edge sections of the central flaps 22 and 23 are bent to a horizontal position along the score lines 4|.

The bending of the flaps 2:2 and 23 in the manner just described results in the formation of a pair of opposed interior walls 43 associated with a pair of support members 44. The bending of the flaps 24 and 25 as described, results in the formation of a pair of opposed singlethickness side walls associated with .the horizontal support members 46. The notches 40 and 42 permit the upright and horizontal positioning of the walls and associated support members, as described.

The ears 28, 29, 30, and 3|, after bending 0 their associated flaps 24 and 25, as described, are further bent along their score lines 22, I3, 34, and 25 to project inwardly of the carton. Thereafter, the end fiaps 25 and 31 are bent along the lines l4 and I5, thus embracing the said ears, and the flaps 36 and 31 are thereafter further bent along the score lines 38 and 35 thereby forming exterior end walls 41 and back members 48.

The latter are adapted to overlap, as seen in Fig. 4, and have their ends cut to form locking tucks 49 which are adapted to have their ends inserted in slots 50 provided in the support membars 46, which, it will be remarked, extend outwardly beyond the line of and between the inner edges of the notches 42.

The blank, thus completely folded, provides a carton having an open containing portion defined by hollow end walls and single-thickness side walls. When a wrapping sheet is extended along the open face portion of the carton, the back members 44 permit access into the containing portion without rupture of the wrapping sheet. Furthermore, the face portions of thecarton, indicated at 5| and defined between the score lines l4-l8l6-2I and lI-l9l52l, constitute effective display surfaces for printed matter and the like, such surfaces being fully visible beneath the wrapping material, presuming that transparent wrapping is used, whereby printing upon the wrapping material itself, which has proved an undesirable practice, may be eliminated. In addition, the contents of the carton are in full view, being in no way hidden either by overlying portions of the carton nor by printed matter applied to the transparent wrapping.

The present invention provides for a novel and highly efll-cient method of applying a cover or wrapping material to a carton, and in such manner as to preclude rupturing of the wrapping material when the carton is erected into operative position. Briefly, this method consists in applying adhesive in a very thin film to selected portions of a carton in its collapsed or flattened position and thereafter applying the wrapping material to the adhesive-treated face, certain sections of the carton, such as wall members, being subsequently folded over into overlying relation with the untreated face of the carton. This ,folding operation is performed upon sections of the carton which have had the wrapping material applied thereto and the folding is done before the adhesive has dried, with the result that a slight amount of slippage of the wrapping material relative to the adhesive-coated portions of the carton is permitted, whereby subsequent binding and breakage of the wrapping material, upon erection of these sections of the carton, are precluded. I

In Fig. 1 herein the wrapping material, which is preferably transparent, such as a cellulose the blank and is seen in the central portion of the blank at 52. This wrapping sheet, as here seen, extends across the open face portions of the carton or blank, being disposed against the top surface sections 5| and extending beyond the score lines 26 and 21 of the flaps 24 and 25, respectively, and, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the ends of the wrapping sheet 52 may extend almost as far as the notches 42. The surface sections 5|, in addition to providing advertising space, as already mentioned, give support and'strength to the upper face of the positioned wrapping sheet. The adhesive is indicated at 53, extending, in this case, the full length of the support members.

Fig. 9 shows the folding over of the side fiaps' 24 and 25 after the sheet 52 has been applied to a face of the blank. The view is taken transversely of the carton along the length of one of the top surface sections 5|. It will be seen that the foldinglaround of the flaps 24 and 25 against the body or remaining portion of the blank provides for the slight amount of slack that will be necessary in the wrapping sheet 52 to preclude rupturing it when the carton is erected into operative position. The carton as collapsed in Fig. 9

.is in its shipping condition and may be put into operative condition by the user in a minimum of time, the carton, when set up, having all the appearance of a fully wrapped vbox.

The back members 48 give access to the containing portion of the carton without the necessity of breaking the wrapping material so that the contents may always be fully exposed to view in an unmutilated carton and may be taken out for further inspection when this is desired.

The adhesive for holding the wrapping sheet on the carton may be placed in any selected portions of that face of the blank or carton to which the wrapping sheet is to be applied. Thus, in an instance such as that illustrated herein, where it is necessary to have certain portions of the treated face, such as the fiaps 22 and 23, free for hinged movement, the adhesive is applied to portions .of the carton other than these moving parts. It is obvious that the idea is applicable to any other type of collapsible carton with the same advantages. The application of the adhesive in a very thin filmmakes it possible to use great pressure-that is, laminating pressure, in securing together the wrapp n sheet and the blank so that danger of the two separating is entirely eliminated, yet at the same time, there is no spreading or squeezing out of the'adhesive beyond the clearly defined areas where the adhesive has initially been placed. Heretofore, there has been no conception of the idea of applying the adhesive in the form of a film and of the attendant advantages of laminating" together, for example, a wrapping sheet and a carton blank in certain predetermined areas beyond which the superimposed members are free for independent movement relative to one another. It is well known, under the old methods, where pressure is put upon two members between which a normal application of adhesive has been made, that the adhesive is squeezedor pressed out over undefined additional areas beyond where it was first disposed. If the additional, irregular areas thus receiving adhesive are visible parts of a carton, the result is an unsightly product, or at least, a product lacking in the desired finish and trimness. If the adhesive has spread over a fold line, then, upon folding, the adjacent parts of the device will probably crack or tear in the surwrapping sheet, is applied to the reverse side of face area. The present method, by contrast, makes it possible to bring the adhesive exactly to a fold line without danger of its spreading across that line when laminating pressure is applied. The advantages in appearance and func- .tion in these, and in various other applications of the method, are believed obvious.

A slightly modified form of the invention is illustrated in Fig. 8. In this instance, the horizontal support members, indicated at 54, are of less depth than the similar members 46 of the form already described, and the locking slots 50 of the previous form are eliminated. The back members shown at and 56 in Fig. 8' interlock, the member 56 being provided with slots 51 and the member 55 with the locking tabs 58, the member 56 extending beneath the member 55 as indicated by the dotted.- line 59. Otherwise, this structure is identical with the first form described, including the interlocking}, by a notched construction, of the support member 54 with the overlying support member 60 of the hollow end wall of the carton, the interlocking notches being indicated at BI and 62.

It will be obvious from the preceding description that cartons of this invention can be produced with a minimum of waste in material; that, in the set up condition, they are sturdy and attractive; that they present an effective advertising medium due to the display window feature provided by the wrapping sheet; and that the cartons are useful and attractive over an unusually long period of time due to the accessibility to the interior of the carton without mutilation of the open face and display portions thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A display carton made up of a blank formed to provide an open containingportion defined 40 by a pair of opposed hollow end walls each comprising a top surface section adapted to receive printed matter, a. pair of opposed side walls each formed of a single thickness only of the blank, interlocking means integral with the blank for 45 supporting all of said walls in operative position and a pair of overlapping flaps forming the bottom of the carton.

2. A carton made of a cardboard blank cut to provide a central open face portion, a pair of opposed flaps projecting inwardly of said open face and each scored longitudinally to provide for bending thereof to form a vertical and a horizontal support section, a second pair of flaps projecting from opposite sides of said face portion at right angles with said first-mentionedfiaps and each scored longitudinally to provide for bending thereof to form a side wall and a support fiange, both said pairs of fiaps being provided with notches adapted to interengage upon bending of the flaps as described, a third pair of flaps projecting from said face portion in oppositely-disposed relation and at right angles with said second pair of flaps and each scored longitudinally .to provide for bending thereof to form an end wall and a back member, and means integral with the blank for positioning the back members in overlapping relation to form a bottom.

3. A carton made of a cardboard blank cut to provide a central open face portion, a pair of opposed flaps projecting inwardly of said open face and each scored longitudinally to provide for bending thereof to form a vertical and a horizontal support section, a second pair of flaps projecting from opposite sides of said face portion at right angles with said first-mentioned flaps and each scored longitudinally to provide for bending thereof to form a side wall and a support flange, both said pairs of flaps being provided with notches adapted to interengage upon bending of the flaps as described, a third pair of flaps projecting from said face portion in oppositely-disposed relation and at right angles with said second pair of flaps and each scored longitudinally to provide for bending thereof to form an end wall and a back member, means integral with the blank for positioning the back members in overlapping relation to form a bottom, and an ear at each end of said side walls and adapted to be turned inwardly of the carton and enclosed upon bend-ing up of said end walls for holding said side walls and support flanges in position.

WILLIAM P. FRANKENSTEIN. 

